Tools

Adapted from the popular young-adult novel, this sci-fi fantasy concerns two dozen teenage gladiators fighting each other to the death as part of a televised spectacle in the distant future. Director Gary Ross (Pleasantville) generally avoids the elaborate exterior shots and special effects that dominate high-concept blockbusters, and cinematographer Tom Stern, re-creating the somber blue-gray tones of his many films with Clint Eastwood, shoots the character drama and scenes of hand-to-hand combat mainly in close-up, with a handheld camera. With Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, and Wes Bentley. (142 min.)
ByBen Sachs